NBC Gets Back in Business With ‘Office’ Alum

NBC has placed a series order for a comedy from an alum of the network’s "The Office." The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed reports that the network ordered six episodes of "Mr. Robinson" from Craig Robinson.

"’Mr. Robinson’ centers on a journeyman musician (Robinson) who gets a job as a music teacher at a middle school. While teaching the kids everything from rock to the blues, he simultaneously learns how to put the school’s rules to the test," the story reports.

The piece adds: "Brothers Mark Cullen and Robb Cullen have boarded the project, from Universal Television and 3 Arts, and will executive produce alongside Howard Klein and Mark Schulman. The original pilot hailed from ‘The Office’s’ Owen Ellickson, who penned the original script and exec produced alongside Greg Daniels and Tracy Katsky. Daniels is no longer involved and Robinson will not be credited as a producer, as he was on the original pilot."

The Cullen brothers will be showrunners on the project, the piece notes. They recently had a short run on ABC with the semi-autobiographical baseball comedy "Back in the Game," which was canceled in November.

"Additional deals for original co-stars Larenz Tate, Jean Smart, Amanda Lund, Amandla Stenberg and Steve Little are expected to come shortly," the report adds. "A premiere date for the series has not yet been determined and it’s unclear if the comedy is in contention for this season or the 2014-15 frame."

The article notes: "’Mr. Robinson’ becomes the second new series at NBC starring a former ‘Office’ alum. The network handed out a straight-to-series order for an untitled half-hour from EP Tina Fey and starring Ellie Kemper. That series will bow in the fall. Should ‘Mr. Robinson’ be slated for 2014-15, it would join ‘Working the Engels,’ NBC’s third series slated for next season."

"Mr. Robinson" and the Krysten Ritter vehicle "Assistance" were the remaining pilots in contention from last year’s large group of pilots at NBC, the piece notes, adding that "Assistance" is no longer in contention.